SPOTLIGHT ON THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION:

The Official Newsletter of Where Success Starts...and Continues • Spring 2015 • www.ncc.edu
NASSAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE
NEXUS
Your College Connection
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
SPOTLIGHT ON THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION:
LEADERS FOR TODAY, LEADERS FOR TOMORROW
it” and which affords “each and every student...
the opportunity to partake in those activities” that
provide for “expression on an elevated level” so as
to foster “within the College a spirit of harmony
responsibility and discipline.” The SGA Executive
“What I found in NCC’s Student
Government Association is a way to
do things that benefit our students
and help out our community now,
and it’s also given me sense of
direction for my future.
”
Candace Lopez
President, NCC Student Government Association
SGA members discussing updating the SGA Constitution. From left to right: Jaynes Guillaume, Sidney Alexandre,
Candace Lopez, Andres Zaldivar, Blake Fruchtman, Brittany Passley
“Quite honestly, when I first came to NCC, I
didn’t even think about getting involved in
student government,” said Candace Lopez, “but I decided
to look for ways to expand and enrich my college experience. What I
found in NCC’s Student Government Association is a way to do things
that benefit our students and help out our community now, and it’s also
given me a sense of direction for my future.” Senator Lopez, who is
President of the SGA for the 2014/2015 academic year, was elected
along with the other students on SGA’s seven member Executive Board
by the student body in April of 2014.
The Preamble of SGA’s Constitution outlines its mission and role
within the larger campus community as a forum “by which the student
body may have a free voice in those matters which directly concern
Board and twenty other students who constitute the
Student Senate have an integral role in the decisionmaking process affecting the one hundred-sixtythree student clubs on campus as well as all student associated activities
sponsored by the Faculty Student Association. These responsibilities
include approving or disapproving all the budget requests made by
the student clubs to fund their activities, which include participating
in field trips and attending regional, national and international
conferences and competitions that have ranged from Connecticut and
Washington, D.C., to Florida, Texas, Montana and California, to France
and Italy.
For members of SGA, there’s a premium on problem solving and multitasking. According to Jaynes Guillaume, who is an SGA senator and
its recording secretary, “The most challenging thing we have to do is
fixing situations that we didn’t expect to happen.” Added SGA senator
Sidney Alexandre, “When somebody comes into the SGA office and
continued on page 2
in this issue
NCC Students Traveling to
New Horizons
Page 3
NCC Football Team Victorious
on a National Stage
Page 5
Roaring for NCC:
An Interview with Leo the Lion
Pages 6-7
Ndaba Mandela Talks of His
Grandfather’s Legacy
Page 9
then you have to immediately switch over to solving their problem that you hadn’t thought about five minutes before, that’s the best thing.” Noted
senator Lopez, “Sure, we’re here to talk to the students and help to deal with their concerns, but we are also a resource for the club presidents and
club advisors and also for professors, administrators and staff in helping them to communicate with the students.”
Another service that SGA provides to the students is arranging for and coordinating entertainment events on campus. “We survey the students
to find out what kind of concerts they would like to have on campus,” said SGA senator Andres Zaldivar, “then we determine which ones are
affordable and available.”
Members of SGA take particular pride in their involvement with very successful
community orientated charitable events, such as fund raising through the American
Heart Walk and initiatives to promote breast cancer awareness. Professor Calvin
Andrew, faculty advisor to SGA, sees this sense of accomplishment as well
justified. “I love working with these students,” he said, “They’re enthusiastic,
they’re smart and they want to take the lead in getting things done for their fellow
students.”
“I was able to hone my leadership skills
and develop my self-confidence, which
helped me to take on new challenges at
”
The SGA is also the general liaison between the student body and the College’s the College and after graduation.
internal constituency groups in addition to any external parties that can have
Victoria Greening
impact on student life. In this regard,
Former SGA Rep on the Executive Board of the Academic Senate
SGA members make up 20% of the
Academic Senate and have seats on
each of its committees. A member of
SGA’s Executive Committee is also a voting member of the College’s Board of Trustees, which is the
ultimate policy making body at the College.
However, for SGA members, as important and satisfying as it is for them to be among the leaders
of the College’s shared governance process, they have also found the relationship building that is
an essential part of their participation in SGA to be very rewarding as well. “By joining SGA,” said
SGA senator Alexandre, “ I’ve gotten the most out of my college experience and I’ve formed new
relationships with people from so many different backgrounds.” In addition, many students note
that assuming leadership positions through SGA has further developed their self-confidence as they
are able to see their actions produce results and has raised their expectations of what they hope to
accomplish after graduation.
Janet Dillon, former student rep on the NCC Board of
Trustee in her fifth grade classroom at P.S. 132
What completes the cycle in a way that gives real life
examples to these aspirations are the experiences of recent
NCC graduates who were members of SGA while at the
College and who are already on the way to becoming leaders
in their own career paths.
Janet Dillon was the student trustee during the 2009/2010
academic year. She went on to Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus, where she graduated with
honors with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in childhood education. Now a fifth grade teacher at P.S. 132
in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Ms. Dillon has already seen how the lessons that she learned at NCC both as
a student and as a leader in the SGA are making a difference for her own students. “What I was able to
observe and accomplish at NCC,” she said, “has made me sensitive to the role I can play in tutoring my
students so that they can stretch their imaginations and ambitions and grow into the leaders of tomorrow.”
Reflecting on how what she did as a member of NCC’s Board of Trustees has assisted in developing her
own skill set and has shaped the outlines of where she sees herself going in the future, Ms. Dillon added,
“Being the student representative on the NCC Board of Trustees helped me to gain a better understanding
of the strategic vision that is necessary in an academic environment.” Ms. Dillon will soon be pursuing
her masters in school leadership.
During the same 2009/2010 academic year, Victoria Greening was the student representative on the
Executive Board of the Academic Senate in addition to being involved in various extra-curricula Victoria Greening, former SGA rep on the
activities. Ms. Greening noted that “with the help of the College’s administrators, faculty and staff, I Executive Board of the Academic Senate, in
was able to hone my leadership skills and develop my self-confidence, which helped me to take on new Moscow in front of The Cathedral of Christ
challenges at the College and after graduation.” While earning her Bachelor’s of Arts at Queens College, the Saviour
graduating magna cum laude, Ms. Greening won a David L. Boren study abroad scholarship and spent
two years studying and working in Russia. (David Boren was a United States Senator and is now the President of the University of Oklahoma.)
continued on page 3
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Nassau Community College - Nexus
Spring 2015
NCC’s Students Studying Abroad –
Traveling to New Horizons as They Expand Their Own
S
tudents taking NCC’s Law 316, “The U.S. and International
Legal Systems,” were able to get “on-the-ground” experience
-- and that ground was in Amsterdam, The Hague, Brussels, Paris
and Strasbourg -- when they traveled to Europe from May 17 to
May 28, 2014. This scholastic excursion was part of the College’s
extensive study abroad initiative, which promotes the learning
process by going beyond textbooks, classrooms campuses and
even continents. Law 316 explores the roots of the American legal
system and its current role in international law. In the process, the
students study both the commonality and differences between the
American legal system and that of the European Union. They also
learn about all of the international courts and forums that have been
created since World War II in the hope of ending and/or punishing
acts against humanity and the conflicts that sparked them.
“By being able to witness trials in these world forums of truly
historic proportions,” said Joan Alexander, Chair of NCC’s Legal
Studies Department, “these students have been able to see first
hand how these courts function as well as to come home with a Nassau Community College Students in Amsterdam taking Law 316
sense of their place and potential not only as American citizens,
but also as citizens of an increasingly global society.” Professor Alexander created Law 316 in 2011 and has led its study trips abroad four times
since then.
On this study trip, students began their visit in Amsterdam, then proceeded to the capital of the Netherlands, The Hague, where they visited the
International Courts of Justice, the International Criminal Court and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. From there,
they traveled to Brussels, which is the seat of the European Union and were able to observe its legislative bodies, and then proceeded to Paris
for a weekend. Finally, they went on to Strasbourg, where they visited the Court of Human Rights and the judicial arm of the European Union.
In noting how this travel abroad had enriched her education at NCC, Ruth Martinez said, “Being able to actually observe what we were studying
about in the classroom was a unique experience. It was especially interesting meeting people from other parts of the world and learning about
their cultures. And on top of that, the trip helped me in making my career choices.”
One of the aspects of NCC that makes it attractive to students is its convenience to where they live on Long Island. But through its courses, like
Law 316, and activities, such as the Speech and Debate Club, which has participated in national and international competitions, NCC students
also have the opportunity to further gain self-confidence and to enhance their future marketability in the workforce by traveling to view new
horizons as they expand their own.
continued from page 2
Her experiences there included taking the lead one year in organizing a multinational student celebration of “An American Thanksgiving Dinner”
in her apartment in Moscow. As for the future, Ms. Greening’s plans include “becoming a leader among Russian translators and analysts in the
federal government.”
NCC’s Student Government Association has, then, the components of a working laboratory where students’ leadership potential, and the
interpersonal skills that enhance it, are mixed, matched and solidified. It’s a magnet for students seeking even more than the excellent classroom
experience that NCC offers. It’s also a forum where they can leverage their enthusiasm and intelligence into a force that recognizes the expectations
and advances the goals of their fellow students. And it’s a crucible in which, by working together, students can demonstrate that leadership is a
process and a product, leaving an imprint for the good of today as it sets out a pathway for many glistening tomorrows.
Spring 2015
Nassau Community College - Nexus
3
NCC OPENS VETERANS RESOURCE FACILITY –
Demonstrates “Respect, First Class” for NCC Student Veterans
Dr. Jorge Gardyn, Chair of the NCC Board
of Trustees, reflected that excitement in his
remarks at the VRF’s opening. Noting his
work on a daily basis with the County’s first
responders, Dr. Gardyn stated, “That’s why
I’m particularly sensitive to the debt that we
owe to the members of our Armed Forces for
their service as our national first responders.”
He added that NCC’s response to the student
veterans request for a VRF demonstrated
“in bold CAPITAL letters that if Nassau
Community College could confer a rank on its
student veterans, it would be ‘Respect, First
Class.’”
NCC Student Veterans Club members ready the VRF for its opening day
O
n November 10, 2014, as a lead up to Veterans Day, Nassau
Community College celebrated the opening of its Veterans
Resource Facility (VRF), which is located on campus at 365 Rice
Circle. In an event attended by more than 200 people, including
members of the NCC Student Veterans Club, students, faculty, staff,
elected officials, and members of the NCC Board of Trustees and of
the NCC Foundation, the College was praised for its commitment to
the education of our nation’s veterans as well as for its extraordinary
efforts to facilitate their transition into civilian life.
Recognizing that the VRF is a “showcase of
NCC’s commitment to our student veterans,”
Dr. Saunders, Acting President of NCC,
continued, “but this showcase is NOT just for
show” as he highlighted how it will benefit
©(2014), Newsday LLC
the student veterans. In commenting on the
VRF’s location in the center of the campus,
Dr. Saunders stated, “We did not just find ‘a’
building. We chose from among ‘the best’ buildings on campus. And
on a personal note, I’ve been looking forward to today to welcome
my new neighbors on Rice Circle, who are only one house over from
where my wife, our daughter and I live.”
In 2014, NCC was, once again, listed by G.I. Jobs Magazine, as a
“Military Friendly School.” Goldsmith noted how the VRF will
provide an extra dimension to that designation: “With the opening
of the Veterans Resource Facility, Nassau Community College is
going far beyond saying ‘thanks for your service’ in the way of the
proverbial yellow ribbon sticker. Nassau Community College is
offering real, tangible support to our returning veterans.”
The VRF will follow through on that commitment in a variety of ways.
It will provide a location for student veterans to meet in peer student
groups and to allow for private counseling in
a veteran friendly environment, in addition
to providing a venue for hosting educational
and community outreach events on matters
of interest to veterans. At the same time, it
will provide an opportunity to welcome nonhe Summer, 2014 issue of Nexus reported that students from the
veterans to Veterans Club meetings. Speaking
as President of the NCC Student Veterans
NCC Veterans Club had been advocating on behalf of legislation
Club, Kristofer Goldsmith said, “We asked
that would improve the fairness of the process for veterans seeking to
for a location that would serve to aid veterans
dispute their discharge classifications of less than “Honorable” when
in the transition from Combat - to College questions of a mental health diagnosis are at issue. At that time, the
to Careers...We were looking for a place that
legislation was on the “cusp” of becoming law. Nexus is now pleased
we could build the same level of camaraderie
to update that information by reporting that on December 19, 2014,
with our peers that we found in the military...
President Barak Obama signed Public Law, 113-291, the National
We brought this battle plan to the school,
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, which included the
and instead of resistance, we were met with
provision for which the students had been advocating.
understanding, optimism and excitement from
NCC’s administration.”
Legislative Update: Now It’s A Law
T
4
Nassau Community College - Nexus
Spring 2015
NCC Football Team Victorious on a National Stage
Lions Roar in the Valley of the Sun Bowl...Again!!!
NCC Student Elijah Bratcher (wide receiver) with the offensive catch
C
apping an undefeated 9-0 season, where
they were the National Junior College
Athletic Association Northeast Conference
champs, the NCC Lions football team went
on to win the Valley of the Sun Bowl that was
played in Scottsdale, Arizona on December
6, 2014. The Lions’ 34-27 dramatic victory
over the Scottsdale Community College
Artichokes was marked by stand-out personal
performances, a come-from-behind turn around
and a most satisfying déjà vue for head coach
Joe Osovet.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Artichokes
jumped out to a 10-0 lead. A touchdown run
by NCC’s Freshman quarterback Anthony
Cruz cut that lead to 10-7. With the Artichokes
ahead 17-10, NCC running back Marcellus
Pack returned a third quarter punt 63 yards for
a touchdown. The Lions then took a 24-17 lead
when Cruz made his second touchdown run
with 5:50 left in the third quarter. The Lions
stretched the lead to 31-17 when freshman
running back Marcus Levy threw a six yard pass
to freshman tight end Ian Thomas. A late surge
by the Artichokes fell short, and NCC kicker
Jake D’Amelio tacked on a final three points
with a field goal for the Lions’ 34-27 win. “It
Spring 2015
was very exciting to watch,” said Pat Chiodo,
NCC’s Facility Manager, who was among the
members of the campus community who were
able to follow the game via the internet. “Even
though Scottsdale took an early lead, I never
gave up hope on Nassau. I truly believed our
team would come back,” she added.
But the Lions’ success in December in Arizona
started with the hard work by the players and
coaches on NCC’s practice field in the center
of the campus in August. Sophomore running
back Yahkee Johnson and sophomore defensive
back Rasul Douglas shared their experience
with the newer players, and quarterback Ben
Holmes also contributed to anchoring the team’s
offense. Throughout the pre-season, regular
season and post-season at the Valley of the Sun
Bowl, the team’s coaches helped to hone the
skills of these and other players, some of whom
would like to go on to play in the NCAA and
even the NFL. And the players’ hard work on
the football field was also matched with their
hard work in the classroom.
As well earned as this triumph was for the
Lions and as gratifying as it was for the
whole campus community, it was particularly
Nassau Community College - Nexus
satisfying and nostalgic for head coach Joe
Osovet, who was a member of the Lions’ team
in 1991 that played in the Valley of the Sun
Bowl against Glendale Community College.
That year, on Thanksgiving night, the Lions
brought home to NCC a 23-21 victory. “It’s no
secret to what we accomplished this season.
Surround yourself with a great coaching staff
and players that listen and pay attention to
detail. That was the formula for our success,”
said coach Osovet. Coach Osovet was also
named the 2014 Northeast Football Conference
Coach of the Year and the 2014 USA Junior
College Coach of the Year.
Being invited to play in an NJCAA bowl game
is prestigious by itself. But by winning the
game as they did, on top of the undefeated
season, the Lions demonstrated the persistence
that their hard work and training fostered. Of
course, they will always be “our” Lions, but
now they are nationally known and honored,
too!
Contributed by Michael Fenrich
5
ROARING FOR NCC:
Leo:
It’s really, really good.
Nexus: How so?
Leo: :
Well, first it’s because of the NCC students. It’s
not only that they give me a cheery “Hello” when I see them
at things like Spring Fest and New Student Orientation. But
it’s also that being NCC’s mascot gives me a chance to show
school spirit to the students and wave for them the banner of
NCC. And you know, with my job I also do a lot of standing
around, and I get to hear them talk to each other. They come
from nearby neighborhoods, but they also come from all over
the country and even all over the world. And I’ve got to tell
you, they sure do know a lot about a lot of things. [Roar]
Nexus:
So, what are the kinds of things they talk about?
Leo: Well, let me give you an example. A lot of them are
involved in the clubs and other activities at NCC. Take the
Student Government Association. That’s where they have the
chance to work with each other and to come up with ideas and
projects to make their time and the time of the other students
at NCC even more worthwhile. And when they do this, these
SGA students learn things like budgeting and planning for a big
organization -- just the kind of things that they’ll find really
useful later on when they’re leaders at their jobs or in the places
where they live. I mean that’s something I can really relate to
because, you know, people look to lions as leaders, too.
Nexus: Any other activities come to mind?
Leo:
Leo the Lion
Nexus:
Good afternoon, Leo. How are you today?
Leo: I’m roaring good. I’ve really been looking forward to
talking with you.
Nexus: Well, let’s get to it, then. We’ve seen you at
various College events, mingling with the students and overall
raising everyone’s spirits. How does it feel to be one of the
“front-men” for NCC?
Leo:
“Front-Lion.” As you can tell from my really nice
mane, I’m a guy, but I think of myself more as a “Front-Lion.”
Nexus: Ok, Front-Lion. How does it feel?
6
Sure. Take the College’s annual “Day of Service.”
That’s when volunteers from across the campus -- students,
faculty and staff -- come together as part of the College’s
First-Year Experience initiative to do a whole lot of good stuff
to serve the community like collecting things for American
troops stationed abroad and for food pantries here. And that’s
something else I can relate to because “community” is a big
thing for lions, too.
Nexus: What is one thing that you really look forward to
doing as NCC’s mascot?
Leo:
Well, I’ve got to say that I really like representing
NCC’s 24 sports teams. For instance, take football. First of
all, watching from the sidelines how the team runs around an
open field reminds me of how I used to scamper around when I
was a cub. Here, there, everywhere. But what made it all the
better was how well the NCC football team did in 2014. Not
only was it undefeated, but it won the Valley of the Sun Bowl in
Arizona. The men’s basketball, lacrosse and tennis teams and the
Nassau Community College - Nexus
Spring 2015
An Interview with NCC’s Mascot, Leo the Lion
women’s soccer team all had championship seasons in 2014, and
their coaches were all named coach of the year by the National
Junior College Athletic Association. I mean “Wow” [Roar].
Nexus: Leo, THAT is quite a roar.
Leo:
I’ve taken some roaring lessons on the side.
Nexus: Well, Leo, I can see you like your job and being
at NCC.
Leo:
Yup, I have a lot of pride in the job and in the College.
Nexus: But do you hear the students talk about what
worries them?
Leo: Yeah, I hear some of that, too. But even there, NCC
comes out as a plus. Like a lot of folks, students worry about
paying the bills, especially because some of them have families
to look after. I mean, lions have families, too, and also have to
think about that sort of thing. But what I hear students say is
that if it weren’t for NCC, then they might not be able to go to
a college at all because other colleges cost too much. So, NCC
gives them a chance for a really good education at a price they
can afford.
Nexus: Speaking of “pride,” what else makes you proud Nexus:: Leo, what are your hopes and plans for the future?
to be part of the NCC family?
Leo:
Well, you know, there are a lot of really good teachers
here at NCC. That’s something else I hear the students talking
about. I hear them say that when they talk to their friends who
go to other colleges, those friends say that sometimes they’re
in classrooms with a hundred other students or more and that
it’s harder to really get a feel for what they’re supposed to be
learning and that they don’t feel like they connect with their
professors. But here at NCC, our students benefit from smaller
classes and more individualized instruction. And I also hear
about how NCC students can take a lot of different courses so
that they can get a better sense of what they want to focus on
both in their schooling and in their career.
Leo:
Well, as you can tell, I really like it here at NCC. So,
in a sense, I’m not going anywhere. But in another way, if I
could’ve helped to make the students’ time here even just a little
more fun and if I could’ve made them smile, then I know that a
part of me will go with them as they study more and have really
interesting and good jobs in the future. That way, I’ll still be part
of their success that started here...and will continue on. And in
that way, I’ll stay close...and go far.
Nexus: Anything else?
Leo:
[Roar] Absolutely! [Roar] Getting to feel
that you’re on top of things at college is not always
easy. But that’s why I hear students talk about how
they’ve gotten help from the people on the campus
who give them advice on what courses they can take
or need to take and how to register for them, how
to go about getting money from the government to
pay their tuition, and how to figure out what other
colleges they can transfer to after they graduate from
NCC and how to go about doing it. I know that it
makes them feel more confident. I can tell it on their
faces, and one of the things they teach us at mascot
school is how to read people’s faces so we can do our
jobs better. [Roar]
Nexus: Leo, you’re so upbeat.
Leo: Well, that’s part of my job. They teach
that at mascot school, too. I also come from a very
upbeat family.
Spring 2015
Leo getting student input at the Student Activities Center
Nassau Community College - Nexus
7
Dr. Donna Tuman Named to Nassau Community College Board of Trustees
D
r. Donna Tuman has been appointed
to the Nassau Community College
Board of Trustees by Nassau County.
and the other trustees on the Board, I hope to utilize my academic
experience to inform decisions regarding long term student success and
to facilitate stronger connections to four-year institutions.”
“The experience in higher education that
Dr. Tuman brings to the Board will serve
it and the campus community well in our
on-going effort to enhance the educational
opportunities that NCC provides to its
students,” said Dr. Jorge Gardyn, Chair of
the NCC Board of Trustees. Dr. Kenneth
Saunders, Acting President of Nassau
Community College, in expressing his
enthusiasm for working with Dr. Tuman stated, “In the years ahead, I
know that Dr. Tuman’s contributions will be significant and valued.”
Dr. Tuman is chairperson of the Art Department at Long Island
University, C.W. Post Campus, where she is also the director of
the Art Education Program. Previously, she was president of the
University Council for Art Education. Her research interests include
art teacher education, arts advocacy and gender differences in the
artistic development of children, and she has published articles on these
subjects in many scholarly journals.
Dr. Tuman is looking forward to working on the NCC Board. “It is an
honor to serve on the Board of an institution that is striving to engage
the college community to meet the challenges of change in higher
education,” said Dr. Tuman. She added, “In working with Dr. Saunders
Dr. Tuman, and her husband Eric, raised their three children in Glen
Head, where the couple has resided for over 35 years.
Dr. Tuman received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Queens
College. Her doctorate in Art Education was awarded by Teachers
College, Columbia University.
NCC Awarded $100,000 Grant To Expand
Its Medical Laboratory Technician Program
T
he Medical Laboratory Technician program at NCC has been given
a significant boost by way of a $100,000 workforce development
grant from the State University of New York’s (SUNY) “High Needs
Program,” which is designed to support campus courses of study that
will produce graduates who can be employed by those sectors of the
economy in great need of an expanding workforce.
With this funding, the College will be able to expand the Medical-Tech
program by up to 66 percent through upgrading the physical space in
which the program is conducted and by providing it with state-of-the-art
laboratory equipment, thereby enhancing the curriculum to better reflect
the skill sets that employers are seeking. Additionally, through the grant
funding, NCC will be able to offer several new “hybrid” courses, which
will combine face-to-face classroom instruction with online learning,
evenly divided between on-campus meetings and web-based activities.
As a result, more courses will be accessible to students whose other
work or family obligations require greater flexibility in scheduling. With
this upgraded laboratory equipment and space and these more varied
opportunities for instruction, the grant will allow students more access
to hands-on training, which will lead to even better results in terms of
students’ completing the program and being successful on the licensure
examinations.
requested will increase as will the related workforce needs. So this, in a
very real sense, is a grant from which we all stand to benefit.
SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher also highlighted the importance of
the High Needs Program. “It is,” she said, “just one way in which SUNY
honors its promises of economic and workforce development in New
York State while educating and training our students in careers that will
lead to their success after graduation.”
In its application for the grant, NCC noted that this initiative will have
a long-term impact for the College and the Long Island region by
increasing the number of skilled workers who will have the opportunity
for immediate employment positions that can reinforce both a middle
class wage base and the potential for growth. As such, it will foster the
economic health of Long Island at the same time that it is assisting in
serving the health care needs of its residents.
“The purpose of this grant,” said Dr. Kenneth Saunders, Acting President
of Nassau Community College, “is to assist NCC in serving the Long
Island community in general, and the Long Island health care industry
in particular, by providing it with skilled, well-educated and trained
technicians.” He added, “As the population of Long Island ages and
its health care industry relies on even more advanced technology for
laboratory testing to diagnose illnesses, the number of lab tests being
8
Nassau Community College - Nexus
Spring 2015
BRINGING THE WORLD STAGE TO NCC
Ndaba Mandela Talks of His Grandfather’s Legacy and His Determination to Carry On
“DREAM BIG
and believe in
your dreams; true leaders know that they have to
sacrifice if they are to be true leaders; and always
remain humble and always be proud of your roots.
”
With these words, Ndaba Mandela summed up what his grandfather,
South Africa’s icon of freedom and Nobel Prize Peace Prize winner,
Nelson Mandela, would have said to the students attending one of
Nassau Community College’s events celebrating Black History Month.
For Ndaba Mandela, life
with “the old man,” as he
affectionately and respectfully
referred to his grandfather,
began in 1993, when Nelson
Mandela was still imprisoned,
although under house arrest,
as a consequence of his
struggle against the apartheid
system of segregation and
repression that was in effect
at the time in South Africa.
Ndaba said that a key part
of his relationship with his
grandfather was the focus on
the importance of education,
and he acknowledged that
his grandfather’s stature as a
leader in the South African
freedom movement and the
African National Congress
was a bit intimidating. But
he added that he was put at
ease by the basic decency with
Ndaba Mandela speaking at NCC
which his grandfather treated
everyone, regardless of their place in society, and by his extraordinary
sense of humility.
The spirit of Nelson Mandela is very much alive in Ndaba as he seeks
to build upon that legacy of leadership and take it beyond the borders
of South Africa and outside the stereotypes that are associated with
the continent. One of the several initiatives that he is in the forefront
of is the Africa Rising Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting a
positive image of Africa around the world and increasing its potential
for growth in the areas of education, employment and international
corporate alliances.
However, recognizing that “we all must do our part in creating a better
world,” Ndaba is also one of the coordinators of “Mandela Day” on
July 18, which is Nelson Mandela’s birthday. Mandela Day will be a
touchstone to commemorate the sixty-seven years that Nelson Mandela
dedicated to public service. Participants will be asked on that day to do
sixty-seven minutes of community service and to consider extending
Spring 2015
that commitment throughout the year. In doing so, they will be acting
upon Ndaba’s challenge “that we all have an obligation to get involved
or else nothing will change” and his grandfather’s admonition that
“you have to earn freedom in every generation.”
The NCC students in the audience were impressed with what they
heard. Said Joanie Thompson, “I was very motivated by his speech.
I was particularly moved when he told us about today’s youth joining
together in pride and confidence and in learning about their roots.”
Crystal Garcia added, “His speech helped to give me more focus and
direction towards my own personal leadership goals and my wish to
continue to break down barriers among people.”
Throughout his discussion of transformation and transition, selfdetermination and self-discovery, Ndaba Mandela asked those who
came and listened to find within themselves a passion out of which they
could make both a life’s work and a livelihood. And with that passion,
he said, will come the determination “to march ahead” in the spirit and
in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X,
and his grandfather…Nelson Mandela.
NCC, YET AGAIN, IS TOPS
IN SPEECH AND DEBATE
N
assau Community College’s Speech and Debate
team has -- for the fourteenth year in a row -- been
crowned the Top Community College in the Northeast and
the Top Community College on the East Coast. NCC holds
the record for consecutive wins.
The top position for NCC was clinched after its stellar performance at the
Harper College Tournament that took place on the weekend of February
21-22 in Schaumburg, Illinois, which capped off the Speech and Debate
team’s regular schedule.
Individual honors went to Siaori Stewart (Gold Medal in Poetry
Performance and Silver Medal in Programmed Oral Performance); Jakkia
Rico Daley (Silver Medal {tied} in Speech to Entertain and Bronze Medal
in Prose Performance) Jillian Campion (Silver Medal {tied} in Speech to
Entertain and Bronze Medal in Informative and Persuasive Speaking);
Randy Perez (Silver Medal in Communication Analysis and Bronze
Medal in Informative and Persuasive Speaking); Rocanne Regnier (Silver
Medal in Informative and Persuasive Speaking); Thaicha Branch (Bronze
Medals in Prose Performance and in Drama Performance); and Chantal
Evans (Honorable Mention in Public Debate and in Poetry Performance.)
In complimenting the students on their performances, team coach,
Professor Trent Webb, said, “I’m so proud of the way they represented
the College. Now, we look forward to the National Championships in
Cleveland, Ohio on April 6-11.”
Nassau Community College - Nexus
9
NCC ON THE CUTTING-EDGE OF CAMPUS SECURITY
N
assau Community College has always sought to provide a safe
environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors. In this era
of unthinkable nationwide tragedies, NCC is now striving to improve
and enhance even further campus security by teaming up with Project
SAFEguard (PSG) to establish the safest possible campus setting.
Project SAFEguard works to assist in implementing Project S.A.V.E.
(Schools Against Violence in Education Act) enacted in 2000. This effort
is supported by Nassau County and the County’s Office of Emergency
Management in coordination with local first responders. Project
SAFEguard was founded to create complete emergency management
systems by some of the most experienced security professionals in
rescue and assess the potential areas of danger.
NCC’s Vice President for Facilities, Dr. Joseph Muscarella, lauded the
value of Project SAFEguard to the campus community. “By utilizing
Project SAFEguard’s extraordinary combination of technologies and
expertise,” he said, “NCC has become an example to be followed and
a leader for educational institutions across the United States in the
field of emergency preparedness. We are indeed grateful to Project
SAFEguard and Nassau County for assisting us in this effort.”
Peter J. Sammis, Director of Project SAFEguard echoing this sentiment
added, “Project SAFEguard is proud to bring NCC’s campus security to
this higher level by providing a truly dynamic, interactive
emergency preparedness program for constantly being
aware of the situational status at the College in the event
NCC should be commended for its ongoing efforts
of the need for crisis management. Project SAFEguard’s
unique team of analysts, high-tech experts, and physical
to provide a safe and secure campus and for taking full
security professionals have coordinated with NCC’s
advantage of the programs available to support them.
Department of Public Safety and local first responders to
provide an approach and a mechanism that will create a
Don Caetano, External Affairs Director for Region 2 safer and more secure school for all.”
Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA)
“
”
the field. The PSG team includes expert analysts and specialists with
distinguished backgrounds in the Armed Forces, U.S. Department of
Homeland Security, law enforcement and engineering. PSG’s leaders
have played key roles in addressing major national incidents from
the 9/11 Emergency Response to Post 9/11 Port Security Planning,
and from TWA Flight 800 Search and Rescue to Hurricane Katrina
Disaster Recovery, among others. Project SAFEguard is now helping
Nassau Community College maximize institutional public safety for a
heightened level of campus security.
Speaking both from his perspective as a professor at NCC
who is the coordinator of the College’s Fire Science/
Emergency Management Program and as a former Lieutenant in the
New York City Fire Department who played a key part in bringing
Project SAFEguard to NCC, Professor Paul Schmidt commented that
“as a former first responder myself, I know how having vital information
given to you prior to your arrival on the scene is very helpful in the
success of the operation.”
And viewing the College’s work from a regional perspective, Don
Caetano, External Affairs Director for Region 2 of the Federal
Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), noted that “NCC
should be commended for its ongoing efforts to provide a safe and
secure campus and for taking full advantage of the programs available
to support them.”
For more than a year, personnel from Project SAFEguard have
surveyed the security needs of NCC and have embarked upon bringing
to the campus a cutting-edge program that involves intricate and
detailed planning, emergency management and response
solutions, specialized technology, access control and
physical security systems. To accomplish this objective,
NCC has become an example to be followed and a
PSG provided the College with detailed emergency
procedures, communications and quick response leader for educational institutions across the United States in
protocols, enhancements to perimeter security and
ongoing technical support. Digitized floor plans are a key the field of emergency preparedness.
component of this approach and are verified on a regular
Dr. Joseph Muscarella
basis. This system is designed to identify and depict
Nassau Community College Vice President for Facilities
space configuration in and around campus buildings, the
locations of security sensors and video access, as well as
critical safety and emergency equipment. NCC’s public
safety team and off-campus first responders will, through
these and other technologies, have the ability to simultaneously view Through Project SAFEguard’s facilitating the delivery of key
real time events in order to maximize initial response activities and information and data about NCC to the first responder community, the
minimize response times that are critical to saving lives and reducing College is on the cutting-edge of campus security and a model whose
injuries. In the language of action-thrillers on TV or in the movies, value will only be enhanced as it is implemented countywide.
this information will provide law enforcement officials with the
“schematics” of a location so that they can respond to opportunities for
“
”
10
Nassau Community College - Nexus
Spring 2015
A Son’s Determination, A Father’s Courage
D
Private First Class Leonard Stern during his service
in World War II
r. David Stern, Professor in the Department of Physical Sciences, has demonstrated in a
civilian and researcher’s sense the same kind of grit and determination that his father, Leonard
Stern, exhibited in his heroic service during World War II. Upon learning that his father, due to the
chaos of war and a subsequent fire at a records facility in Missouri, had never received a Purple
Heart medal for wounds incurred during the brutal and climactic Battle of the Bulge, Dr. Stern
went about setting the record straight and bringing to his father the recognition that his patriotism
and courage so richly merited. Said Dr. Stern, “I didn’t want this to be the case of ‘honor delayed’
meant ‘honor denied.’” So, with the assistance of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Dr. Stern was
able to find an old hospital record that verified his father’s having been wounded in combat. And
in a storyline that seems almost too “Hollywood” but was minted in reality, as an added dose to
aid Leonard’s recuperation in England, his brother, Eugene, had already been stationed at the same
base at the same time. The Purple Heart was awarded to Leonard at a ceremony on December 1,
2014 at American Legion Post 1273 in Wantagh by Senator Gillibrand, joined by Congresswoman
Kathleen Rice and Assemblyman David McDonough. In commenting on Dr. Stern’s work, Senator
Gillibrand said, “The event would never have happened without your hard work, and you should
be very proud of your role in the process.” Completing the father-son connection perfectly were
Leonard’s own words: “I love this award. It’s like I finished college with a Ph.D.”
Faculty/Staff Highlights
Chuck Cutolo, General Counsel for
Governmental & Media Relations, made
two presentations at the Shelter Rock Library.
The first, entitled, “The Ten Commandments
of Lobbying” focused on techniques and
strategies for effective advocacy. The second
was a discussion of his second book of essays,
Parables…And Other Stuff From Life. In his
presentation, he described the writing/creative
process and read from among the forty-seven
essays in the book.
Prof. Anna Feuerbach, Sociology, participated
in a conference in February in Ukraine about the
history of antique arms. She was also a guest
speaker at the Arms and Armor Club of New
York and was a consultant for the PBS program
Nova about the secrets of the Viking Sword.
In addition, Prof. Feuerbach spoke about her
research in Yataghan, Turkey.
Dr. Murray Fullman, Psychology, spoke about
medical hypnosis at The Pines of Boca Lago in
Boca Raton, Florida in February.
Robert Gersten, Emeritus Dean of Students,
was honored this fall for being the oldest living
basketball alumnus of North Carolina. Captain
of the basketball team, he won several awards
during his time there.
Prof. Mark Halfon, Philosophy, was the
recipient of the 2014 Special Library Association
Baseball Caucus Readers’ Choice Award for his
book Tales From the Deadball Era: Ty Cobb,
Homer Run Baker, Shoeless Joe Jackson and the
Wildest Times in Baseball History.
Spring 2015
Prof. Amy King, English, has been selected as
the 2015 winner of the Women’s National Book
Association (WNBA) Award. The WNBA
award is presented every second year to “a
living American woman who derives part or all
of her income from books and allied arts and
who has done meritorious work in the world of
books beyond the duties and responsibilities of
her profession or occupation.” Prof. King is the
author of several books of poetry.
Dr. Valerie Lagakis, Reading and Basic
Education, is the coordinator of the Achilles
Project. The project was part of an article
entitled “Disabilities Research Improving
Lives,” which appeared in Response magazine,
published by United Methodist Women.
Prof. Jack Mandel, Marketing, Retailing,
Fashion Buying and Merchandise, Fashion
Design and Interior Design, recently appeared
on the WABC-TV program Who Wants to be a
Millionaire? He won a $1,000 cash prize. In
addition, Prof. Mandel’s article “Students on
Silent Mode – But Why?” appeared in the winter
issue of Aspire, a regional college magazine.
Prof. Deirdre O’Connor, Communications,
made a documentary film, Back to Brooklyn
With Jack and Jim, that was an official selection
for the NYC Chain Film Festival last summer;
the Williamsburg International Film Festival
in September; and The Hamptons Take Two
Documentary Film Festival in December. For
each festival, Prof. O’Connor was a panelist for
discussions on documentary filmmaking.
Nassau Community College - Nexus
Joe Osovet, coach of the NCC Lions football
team, was named the 2014 Northeast Football
Conference Coach of the Year, and the 2014
USA Junior College Coach of the Year. He was
also the first-ever community college coach
to coach in the USA College Football All-Star
Game in Jackson, Mississippi.
Yvonne Powell-Watson, Public Safety, was
recently promoted to sergeant. She is also
teaching a continuing education course about
holistic nutrition and wellness.
Prof. Christina Rau, Prof. of English and
Coordinator of The Creative Writing Project,
had a poetry chapbook entitled For the Girls
published in late 2014.
Prof. Paul Schmidt, Fire Science/Emergency
Management Coordinator and Wrestling
Coach, will be inducted into the National
Wrestling Hall of Fame in April.
Prof. Mario Susko, English, is the recipient
of the 2015 Goran’s Wreath Award, honoring
a poet for his or her overall contribution to the
art of poetry. The award is Croatia’s highest
poetry award.
11
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PAID
Garden City, NY
Permit No. 71
One Education Drive
Garden City, NY 11530-6793
ncc.edu
Part of the State
University of New York
Dr. Kenneth K. Saunders
Acting President
Publisher/Head Writer
Chuck Cutolo
Editor Alicia Steger
Editorial Asst./Writer
Gail Mattimore
Layout/Design
Leeann Lundgren
Principal Photography
William Baker
Circulation Thomas Conigliaro
For further information:
Tel: 516.572.9634
[email protected]
NCC.EDU
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DAYS
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• Apply for admission
• Be reviewed for admission
• Register for classes
Summer Sessions
2015
Summer Session I
May 26 - June 25
Summer Session II
June 29 - July 30
Summer Session III
August 3 - August 19
• Meet with Financial Aid
Monday, April 27th
11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 28th
11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 3 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
rd
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in the College Center Building (CCB)
For more info and to register, visit
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